A quiet stretch of the Cowlitz River near Kelso turned into a recovery scene on Tuesday after a passerby spotted what looked like a body tangled in riverside brush. The report brought Kelso police and county rescue crews to the shoreline and set off a coordinated search-and-recovery effort along the riverfront.
According to OregonLive, a caller alerted Kelso police to the sighting near the intersection of Mill Street and Riverside Drive. Officers first used a drone to confirm the location, then the Cowlitz County dive rescue team moved in and recovered the woman’s body, the outlet reports. Kelso police told the outlet that the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office is now working to identify the woman and determine how she died. Investigators have not released any additional details.
Recovery and investigation
The Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office, based in Longview, is handling the identification and autopsy process, according to the county’s website. That page outlines how the office manages autopsies and unidentified decedent protocols, along with contact information for families and the public. Kelso police have asked anyone who might know something about the case to call their non-emergency line, which the department’s public page lists as 360-423-1270 for non-emergencies and records requests.
River context
The lower Cowlitz River flows past Kelso and Longview before meeting the Columbia River and has seen previous recoveries that called for dive teams and multiple agencies working together. In 2022, a body pulled from the river was later identified as a 32-year-old Kelso man, a process that took time to resolve, as reported by KPTV. Swift currents, floating debris and thick riverbank vegetation along this stretch can make it difficult to both find and safely retrieve people from the water.
How to help
Officials have not released the woman’s name while they work to confirm her identity. Anyone with information related to the discovery is asked to contact the Kelso Police Department at 360-423-1270 or reach out to the Cowlitz County Coroner’s Office.
